Catholic News Service

The Synodal Path of the Catholic Church in Germany wants laypeople to be able to participate in choosing bishops and wants the church to have women deacons.

The Catholic Church worldwide is showing good progress and "much joy" after the opening of the synodal process, but there also have been some "uncertainties" and challenges, said the ordinary council of the Synod of Bishops.

Formally installing catechists and lectors into their roles as lay leaders in the church is especially important as a recognition for women and men in places like the Amazon region.

Catholic leaders are encouraging people of faith to get involved in lobbying efforts against capital punishment and to discuss the issue in their parishes and with family members.

Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted of Phoenix said baptisms performed by a priest during years of ministry in the diocese are invalid, leading to the resignation of the clergyman Feb. 1.

People must "reject all forms of racism, bigotry and injustice" and recognize "we are each made by God and are deserving of respect and dignity because of just that," Washington Cardinal Wilton D. Gregory said.

 Paulist Father René Constanza, who has served as rector of the Cathedral of St. Andrew in Grand Rapids, Michigan, since 2018, is the new president of the Paulist Fathers.

Retired Bishop Remi De Roo, the last surviving Canadian, English-speaking bishop to take part in the Second Vatican Council more than 50 years ago, died Feb. 1. He was 97.

The opening of a new apostolic nunciature in the United Arab Emirates is a testament to fraternity and goodwill between Muslims and Christians, said Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra.

As many state legislatures consider restrictive abortion measures in current legislative sessions, the Catholic conferences in these states are paying close attention to these bills and urging Catholics to advocate for them.

Recent survey finds a majority favored a path to citizenship for those who are in the country without legal permission

The third German Synodal Assembly spent hours discussing church issues and, by the end of its first day, adopted two texts that delegates hope will bring change and more democracy to the church.

The Nicaragua national assembly ordered the revocation of the legal status of five universities — including a Catholic university — along with several Catholic educational and charitable projects.

Bishop Brendan J. Cahill of Victoria, Texas, blesses samples of seed and soil, saying: "God will sustain us each day and guide our lives. What a beautiful thought as we bless seed, because it is a hopeful sign."

President Joe Biden, addressing the National Prayer Breakfast Feb. 3, called for a return to the political civility he said he'd known as a freshman U.S. senator from Delaware.

The president of the Lithuanian bishops' conference warned that his country and its neighbors could be targeted if Russian President Vladimir Putin imposes his will on Ukraine.

Spain's parliament agreed to review a proposal by several political parties that have called for the establishment of commission to investigate sexual abuse cases in the Catholic Church.

People of faith looking to see their values reflected in their politics cannot give up in the face of legislative setbacks, said members of a Feb. 1 panel, "Faith, Politics and Policy in 2022: What Is a Faithful Agenda Now?"

The Vatican's foreign minister traveled to Lebanon with messages for its politicians and for ordinary people.

Immigration supporters say that while they welcomed President Joe Biden's 2020 election, when it comes to immigration policy, his administration, a year into its first term, has left much to be desired.